Today, December 8th, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This solemn day celebrates not the conception of Jesus within Mary, but the conception of Mary herself.
We celebrate today that, although Mary was conceived in the normal way, she was conceived without original sin or the corrupt nature it brings. God’s grace preserved Mary from these things in anticipation of the role she would be asked to play in Jesus’ Incarnation.
Mary is the Mother of God, the Mother of the Church, and we claim her as the Mother of the Congregation of the Resurrection. (Constitutions #8) Through her Immaculate Conception Mary became the perfect disciple of Jesus, and so we model our lives after hers. Mary is our human model for faith and trust in God, for humility and for prayer. (Constitutions #55 & #152)
We turn to Mary on this blessed day and ask her to intercede for us, that we may be steadfast in our prayer lives, that we may be faithful to our vocation as Resurrectionists, and that we may trust always in God, continually dying to ourselves so that He may live in us. Blessed Virgin Mary… pray for us.
The Immaculate Conception is considered a Community Feast for the Congregation of the Resurrection (Constitutions #78) and so on this day the Resurrectionists and Apostles of the Resurrection in Canada will pray Evening Prayer together and enjoy a time of fellowship. Check back tomorrow for some pictures from our gathering!